1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of animal care. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enable a system and method for cognitive enrichment of an animal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In countries all over the world, animals are domesticated. Domesticated animals, including canines, felines, and other animals require care. For example, domesticated animals must be fed a diet on a regular schedule. The diet must satisfy the nutritional requirements and needs of the animal. Often, specialized food products for the target animal are available along with recommended feeding instructions in order to provide the animal a complete and balanced diet. It is up to the animal's caretaker to ensure that the feeding instructions are followed.
Specialized pet treats are also available. These treats also come with recommended feeding instructions. Often, the nutritional content of these treats do not provide a complete and balanced diet for the animal. It is often recommended that such treats are offered in a limited fashion.
It is difficult to allow an animal to choose a specific type of food or a combination of foods and/or treats. Feeding instructions for specialized food products often do not take into account that more than one food product will be offered to the animal. Feeding of a predetermined food often occurs based on a predetermined schedule. The timing or other preferences of the domesticated animal are typically not taken into consideration.
Food products, including treats, are often used in the training of domesticated animals. Such rewards help the animal associate a correct response with the reward. Non-food rewards, such as toys, praise, and other rewards, are also used to help the animal learn. Negative reinforcement, such as electric fences and collars with unpleasant stimuli are often used to help train animals to avoid unwanted responses. The use of negative reinforcement may be problematic; it is viewed by some as inhumane, and may exacerbate aggressive, anxious or other undesirable behaviors.
It is also widely accepted that mental stimulation and exercise are highly beneficial to a domesticated animal. Training is a form of mental stimulation. However, domesticated animals also benefit from mental stimulation outside of training. Mental stimulation and exercise often require a high level of interaction between the animal and a human, such as a caretaker, owner, or trainer. Pet owners are encouraged to regularly engage their pet in both physical and mental stimulation. Without regular human-driven interaction, domesticated animals may not receive adequate mental stimulation. Furthermore, even with regular human-driven interaction, it is typically impractical for a caretaker, owner, or trainer to provide mental stimulation around the clock. In extreme cases, the absence of owner presence may also be associated with anxiety, i.e. separation anxiety, or other undesirable behaviors.
Interaction with other animals may also provide mental stimulation. It is common for a household to have more than one pet. However, it is not always feasible to provide a domestic animal with this form of stimulation.
To overcome the problems and limitations described above there is a need for a system and method for cognitive enrichment of an animal.